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Life story

"David Leo Aloysius Vallowe entered eternal life on December 7, 2022. He suffered a brain aneurysm followed by a stroke in May 2001, from which he made remarkable recovery and enjoyed his family and friends for the past 21 years until his brain could not do more.

Dave and Susan Elaine Portell were married more than 48 years after meeting in high school in Belleville, Illinois, and have three children: Timothy Michael of Arizona, Shawn Matthew (Claire) of Maryland, and Amy Lynn of Virginia. He has six grandchildren--Kaleigh, Timothy, Noah, Owen, Samantha, and John Wayne, who were blessed to know him well and spend many joyful moments with him.

Dave was born in East St. Louis, Illinois, and grew up in the loving home of Raymond and Elaine Vallowe in Belleville with siblings Susan, Joseph, Daniel, and Mary Rose. His parents and Susan have passed, his older sister Susan when Dave was only two years old. He graduated from Althoff Catholic High School in Belleville and became a baker and pastry chef through apprenticeship and training at a couple of local bakeries there until he moved to Dale City, Virginia, to become a baker with Giant Food, Inc., the major supermarket chain in the Washington, DC, area. Dave became aware of Giant during visits to that area after Susie's father had been transferred from Illinois to Virginia. Dave then moved to Key Mix, Inc., in Ellicott City, Maryland, where he created and sold many bakery formula products to customers around the country. He moved to Glen Burnie and Ellicott City in Maryland and stayed at Key Mix after his 2001 health challenges until he was no longer able to continue in that capacity due to his injuries. He and Susie moved to Fredericksburg, VA in 2020.

Susie plans a Celebration of Life after the holidays and the turn of the year, sometime in the spring. Our family thanks all Dave’s friends and relatives for the many kindnesses through his long journey and respectfully ask continued prayers for him and us."